Board of Supervisors authorizes planning and development of advanced composting facility in Sonoma County

The Board of Supervisors today authorized engineering and environmental planning for the first centralized composting facility in Sonoma County, which is expected to divert and process approximately 65,000 tons of organic material each year. The initiative, in alignment with the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan for Climate Action and Resiliency, moves the county toward carbon-neutral operations by 2030 and is supported by grant funding.

Since 2016, organic materials collected in Sonoma County, including weekly pick-up of residential curbside green bins and commercial food scraps, have been transported to facilities outside the county. The proposed composting facility, located at the former county landfill site adjacent to Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport, will implement sustainable design to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, integrating solar and other renewable technologies, energy recovery systems and green building materials.

“A centralized compost facility will be a win for taxpayers and the environment,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “It will provide direct benefit to the county by reducing transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions, build on our momentum toward resilient and sustainable infrastructure, accelerate our ability to meet state requirements on carbon neutrality, and provide high-quality compost to support agricultural, landscaping, and public works projects. Plus, we’re committed to getting it done in a fiscally responsible way. I applaud the creative approach and look forward to considering next steps toward completion of the project.”

Initial project planning is assigned to SCS Engineers in Windsor, reflecting a collaborative effort between the County and Zero Waste Sonoma.

“This project exemplifies the power of partnership,” said Leslie Lukacs, director of Zero Waste Sonoma. “Working together allows us to amplify our impact on sustainability, increase diversion of organic materials from the landfill, and manage compost locally which benefits our agriculture community and improves soil regeneration. We’re proud to be part of this innovative venture.” 

The public project, coordinated by the Department of Public Infrastructure’s Integrated Waste Division and Permit Sonoma’s Natural Resources Division, in collaboration with Zero Waste Sonoma, represents a significant step towards local waste management and environmental resilience.

For more information about the county composting facility project, please contact the Department of Public Infrastructure at (707) 565-2550 or email spi@sonoma-county.org.

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Media Contacts:
Dan Virkstis, communications specialist
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 565-3040